The Cubs are winning but their roster has holes you can't ignore
- Eugene McIntosh
- Apr 28
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 28
CHICAGO — With a 17-12 record, the toughest month of any schedule in the league nearly behind them and an 11-9 mark against three of the top five teams in the National League West, arguably the best division in baseball, the Cubs have certainly exceeded expectations.
“It’s something that we failed to do last year with the teams in contention. We failed to win season series against nearly all of them. You don’t know if it’s gonna matter. It’s April and we’ve got 130 games left but it’s a swing that could matter at the end,” manager Craig Counsell said after the Cubs' 7-6 win over the Dodgers in their series finale. “It’s a sign that you’re playing good baseball against very good teams.”
But...
The Cubs have exceeded expectations but glaring deficiencies remain. And when the offense isn't erupting for big nights, those flaws have a way of showing themselves.
Justin Steele Reinforcement
With Justin Steele out for the year after UCL revision surgery, and Javier Assad exiting his second rehab start Tuesday night after missing spring training with an oblique strain, finding a new top-to-middle rotation arm may not be urgent to President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer but it’s inevitable, whether via trade or from within.
"Obviously you never wanna lose a guy like Justin. It's a big loss for us, obviously," Hoyer said. "But that's why you have to build depth in the offseason. You have to build depth from within. Teams go through injuries. You have to have guys step up, and Colin has been outstanding so far."
That "depth from within" has been rewarding so far. Colin Rea, moving from the bullpen into a starter role after the Steele injury, has impressed. A small sample size, sure, but in seven games (three starts) he’s allowed only two runs over 18.2 innings with a strong 6.3-to-1 K/BB ratio.
Ben Brown has also shown flashes of brilliance after earning a rotation spot out of spring training. The hard-throwing righty has earned two victories across five starts, racking up at least five strikeouts in each. But his most recent outing versus the Phillies was a reminder that growing pains are part of the process. A 3.2 inning, nine hit, six run outing isn’t shocking for a pitcher still getting his first REAL taste of the big leagues.
“We need better, frankly. To be a starter, it’s the length in the game that we need more from. There’s been some bright spots and there’s clearly some good things there but you know, three and two-thirds, four innings, Fortunately, we’ve had off-days but during the course of kind of a normal part of it [the season], that’s going to hurt you," Counsell said about Brown.
Outings like that are part of the learning curve but it also highlights why relying on unproven arms to replace Justin Steele is a dangerous game.
Overall, Cubs starters own a 3.74 ERA, sixth-lowest in the National League and ninth in MLB. Since April 11, the rotation has posted a 3.59 ERA while holding opponents to a .259 batting average.
Same Old Bullpen
In the words of the late, great Earl Simmons — better known as DMX —"HERE WE GO AGAIN!."
The bad luck keeps rolling. Ryan Brasier, Eli Morgan, and Tyson Miller are all on the IL. Closer Ryan Pressly is battling right knee issues (his knee was drained Tuesday night and he returned Sunday with a hitless frame against the Phillies) and Jordan Wicks was optioned to Triple-A Iowa after struggling against the Diamondbacks.
The Cubs badly need bullpen help — especially from the left side. With Caleb Thielbar as the lone active southpaw, opponents have been able to tailor lineups more aggressively. Drew Pomeranz, activated Wednesday after not pitching in the majors since 2021, will get his shot to stabilize things.
"I think we're always gonna try to get it better," Counsell said. "We're gonna always try to acquire depth, especially at this time of year with injuries. That's not gonna stop."
The numbers tell the story:
Cubs bullpen holds a 4.99 ERA (bottom five in baseball).
They've allowed 103 hits.
They’re tied for second with six blown saves in 13 chances.
"A number of our leverage guys have thrown really well," Hoyer said before the Cubs' wild 11-10 comeback win over the Dodgers. "But ultimately, the goal is to get to the point where eight guys in the bullpen are throwing well — and we haven’t gotten there yet. We’ve given up whatever the next level of crooked numbers are too many times. We have to solve that issue."
The Black Hole at the Hot Corner
One of the biggest questions coming into 2025…is Matt Shaw ready to be the Cubs' full-time third baseman?
Through 18 games:
.172 batting average
Three RBIs
Three errors
...the clear answer is no.
The Cubs' top prospect was demoted to Iowa on April 15. Hoyer said his "ultimate hope" is that Shaw can find his swing again and earn his way back — but truthfully, Shaw should’ve been fine-tuning in Iowa from the jump.
Next up - The Gage Workman experience.
Workman had a solid spring and appeared in nine early games, but struggled: six strikeouts in 14 at-bats and two costly errors Tuesday night. He was DFA'd the following afternoon.
"There's some development in the position, in the roster spot," Counsell said. "We just didn’t feel like we could properly allocate playing time to that. It put Gage in a tough spot."
That leaves a committee: Vidal Brujan, Jon Berti, Justin Turner, and newly-signed Nicky Lopez.
Brujan and Berti are best suited as versatile bench pieces. Turner looks more and more like he's approaching the end. Lopez, back with the Cubs after a brief Angels stint, will likely get the most run at third base thanks to his experience and superior glove.
Counsell’s approach is clear: “We're going to have a different player at that position game-to-game," he said. "Essentially a platoon. Defense is one of Nicky’s strengths. You’re going to see multiple third basemen on a day-to-day basis."
I don’t think playing musical chairs at third base is conducive to a championship contender but I'm sure Craig Counsell knows more baseball than a funky member of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Hoyer is in the final year of his contract. The Kyle Tucker trade was bold and it’s paying off. Does Jed have anything else up his sleeve?
Only time will tell. He’s made his bed now he’s gotta figure out how to sleep in it.
Opmerkingen